In the U19 WC 2026 semifinal, Afghanistan’s Faisal Shinozada (110) and Uzairullah Niazai (101*) scored centuries to post 310/4 vs India, but fans raised age-fraud doubts over their physical maturity, urging ICC to verify their eligibility.
Afghanistan U19 batters, Faisal Shinozada and Uzairullah Niazai, delivered a brilliant performance in the U19 World Cup 2026 semifinal against Team India at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Wednesday, February 4.
After opting to bat first, Afghanistan capitalized on the opportunity as they posted a massive total of 310/4 in 50 overs. Faisal and Uzairullah were the star performers with the bat as their centuries guided the team to a commanding position by setting a 311-run target for the Boys in Blue to chase. Faisal Shinozada led the batting with a knock of 110 off 93 balls, while Uzairullah Niazai scored 101 off 86 balls.
For India, Kanishk Chouhan led the bowling attack with figures of 2/55 at an economy rate of 6.10 in nine overs. Deepesh Devendran also picked two wickets and conceded 64 runs at an economy rate of 6.40 in 10 overs. While other bowlers failed to complement the efforts of Kanishk and Deepesh, allowing Afghanistan to post a massive total,
Faisal and Uzairullah’s Century Knocks Steal Spotlight
Faisal Shinozada is one of the standout batters of the U19 World Cup 2026, having already accumulated 326 runs heading into a crucial semifinal match against Team India. Uzairullah Niazai, on the other hand, had yet to produce an impactful performance for Afghanistan in the tournament before the semifinal clash.
On the crucial day, Faisal and Uzairullah rose to the occasion when they were needed the most by Afghanistan, displaying composure, power, and consistency throughout their innings. The pair, when Afghanistan were 117/2 after Osman Sadat’s dismissal, forged a crucial partnership that put Indian bowlers under immense pressure.
Faisal Shinozada completed his century in the 43rd over of Afghanistan’s batting and formed a 148-run stand for the third wicket with Uzairullah Niazai before his dismissal at 265/3. During his 110-run knock, Faisal crossed the 400-run mark in the tournament and is currently leading run-scorer with 435 runs, including two centuries and as many fifties, at an average of 87.00 in six matches.
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After Faisal’s dismissal, the onus was on Uzairullah to carry on Afghanistan’s batting, and he rose to the occasion brilliantly. Uzairullah Niazai brought up his maiden century of the tournament in just 85 deliveries and took Afghanistan past the 300-run mark, finishing unbeaten on 101, ensuring a formidable total of 310/4 and putting India under immense pressure in the U19 WC semifinal.
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Faisal Shinozada and Uzairullah Niazai’s brilliant century knocks dominated the U19 World Cup semifinal, showcasing skill, temperament, and partnership excellence that setup Afghanistan for a commanding position against India. Faisal and Uzairullah’s performances highlighted their potential as future stars.
Age-Fraud Allegations against Faisal and Uzairullah
Though Faisal Shinozada and Uzairullah Niazai dazzled with their batting in a crucial semifinal against Team India, questions over their ages have emerged. As per the official records, Faisal is 17, and Uzairullah is 18, but the fans and cricket enthusiasts have raised doubts about the accuracy of these claims, citing their physical maturity.
Taking to their X handles (formerly Twitter), fans and cricket enthusiasts questioned the legitimacy of Faisal and Uzairullah’s ages, with many highlighting that the two looked far older than U19 players. Fans expressed their disbelief at Afghanistan’s U19 batters’ physical maturity and urged the ICC to launch a thorough age verification investigation to ensure fair play in the tournament.
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Though Faisal Shinozada and Uzairullah Niazai have been at the social media speculations due to their ages, with fans questioning whether their physical maturity aligns with their official U19 status, there has been no official update or confirmation from the International Cricket Council (ICC) on any investigation or findings regarding age fraud.
However, it remains to be seen whether there will be any investigation on the allegations following the conclusion of the tournament.
Afghanistan’s Age-Fraud Allegations Not New
The age-fraud allegations against the Afghanistan cricketer are nothing new, as age‑fraud concerns have surfaced in Afghan age‑group cricket before, with earlier cases drawing fan scrutiny and media chatter. Afghanistan star cricketer Rashid Khan was once at the centre of age-fraud concerns, given his physical maturity.
However, Rashid was cleared of all age fraud-related allegations. In 2025, Barkat Ibrahimzai sparked a social media storm when the fans questioned his listed age as 19 following a standout performance for Afghanistan U19 against Bangladesh. The questions arose after his Instagram post surfaced showing him as a ‘12-year-old’ seven years prior, which contradicted his official listing of 19 years old at the time of the tournament.
The allegations were considered by the Afghanistan Cricket Board, which later removed Ibrahimzai from the U19 squad. Faisal Shinozada and Uzairullah Niazai are the latest to face the allegations of age fraud, though there has been no official action taken yet.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and International Cricket Council (ICC) have not released any statements regarding the verification of their ages, leaving the matter currently unresolved despite speculations on social media.